These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve. The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps that would better define the extent of oyster habitats and the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and western St. George Sound portions of the estuary, mostly in depths greater than 2 meters. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the bay. The interpretation of sidescan sonar imagery, bathymetry, available sediment sample information, and seafloor observations provided a detailed interpretation of the surficial geology of Apalachicola Bay and western portions of St. George Sound, Florida. The initial surficial geologic interpretations were translated by the Office for Coastal Management into the Florida System for Classifying Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME). No sediment classes were lost during this process. The layers available within the data download include biotic, geoform, and substrate. Partners: United States Geological Survey, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve

These data are a collection of regional GIS (Arcview shapefiles and associated Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata) benthic habitat files from studies conducted in specific locations within Florida. Data were collected in partnership with the NOAA Office for Coastal Management (formerly the Coastal Services Center) following the guidelines detailed by the NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP). Each regions's data is held in a separate subdirectory within this dataset. These GIS benthic data vary in type and attributes depending on the purpose of the study for each region as follows - Apalachicola Bay, sediment profiling data and benthic community information gathered from grab sampling, Dry Tortugas, RoxAnn single-beam acoustic surveys which were part of a larger biogeographic characterization effort intended to characterize benthic habitats and ocean circulation patterns in the newly established Tortugas Ecological Reserve, Florida Bay, habitat polygons developed from National Geodetic Survey aerial photography according to NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) protocol, and Indian River Lagoon, mapping SAV beds and benthic habitat according to C-CAP protocol. Each set of benthic data was developed according to protocols described in the associated FGDC metadata for each regional study. A generalized browse graphic was generated at the NODC for each region and included with these data.

During April 2001 RoxAnn single-beam acoustic surveys were conducted at the North Unit of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve, Florida. Thirteen transects associated with fixed bottom sampling stations were surveyed to characterize the ecotone around the stations. In addition survey tracks were run along the outer edge of the Tortugas platform reef complex and into the interior of the platform. A towed video sled (minibat) was deployed simultaneously with the RoxAnn survey which provided a live video ground truth to the acoustic signals. Using this ground truth several bottom classes were identified including coral, seagrass, algae, unconsolidated sediments, and hardbottoms. The original RoxAnn categories are preserved in the Class field and benthic habitat codes from the Florida System for Classifying Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) system are preserved in the SCHEME field. The depth value is in meters below transducer surface. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

The Apalachicola Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the NOAA Office for Coastal Management worked together to map benthic habitats within Apalachicola Bay, Florida. The bay and the lower portions of four distributaries were surveyed on 11-22 October 1999 using three benthic sampling techniques. This data set represents the benthic community information gathered from grab sampling. Grabs were collected at 136 stations throughout the bay. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

The Apalachicola Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the NOAA Office for Coastal Management worked together to map benthic habitats within Apalachicola Bay, Florida. The bay and the lower portions of four distributaries were surveyed on 11-22 October 1999 using three benthic sampling techniques. This data set represents the information gathered from sediment profile imagery sampling. Images were collected at 436 stations throughout the bay. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data represent oyster reefs in Georgia's coastal waterways, extending from Chatham County south to Glynn County. A pilot project for certain coastal regions was completed in 2013, with the remaining project areas finished in 2015. This mapping project was conducted under contract to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with the goal of inventorying oyster reefs in Georgia's coastal waterways. Oyster reef extent polygons were created through heads-up digitization using 4-band, 6-inch resolution DMC digital aerial imagery as the source. This imagery was collected between November 2012 and February 2013. The minimum mapping unit is 5 square meters, though discretion was used to collect features smaller than this. Partners: Georgia Department of Natural Resources

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

These data were collected under a cooperative mapping program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management (NOAA\OCM), and the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The primary objectives of this program were to collect marine geophysical data to develop a suite of seafloor maps to better define the extent of oyster habitats, the overall seafloor geology of the bay and provide updated information for management of this resource. In addition to their value for management of the bay's oyster resources, the maps also provide a geologic framework for scientific research and the public. High-resolution bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic profile data were collected over 230 square kilometers of the floor of the bay. The study focused on the Apalachicola Bay and Western St. George Sound portions of the estuary in mostly in depths > 2.0 meters. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov